Take-down square.



A. A. PAGE.

TAKE-DOWN SQUARE.

APPLIOATION FILED 1113.27, 1912.

Patented 0.013. 7, 1913.

MK.. m N m m WJTNESSES.-

entran s FANF FFFQE.

.ALBERT A. PAGE, OF EAST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR TO SARGENT 8a COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, .A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

TAKE-DOWN SQUARE.

Application filed February 27, 1912.

To all fr0/0m t may concern:

Be it known that 1, ALBERT A. PAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Take- Down Squares, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to carpenters squares of that type wherein the two arms or branches of the square are separable from each other, so that the ldevice can be more easily packed and carried from place to place.

The improvement relates especially to the means for fastening together or interlocking the arms of the square, the object being to make such means very conveniently and easily operable to lock the arms t-ogether and to release the same from each other.

1t is also aimed to provide a fastening device which, when the square is assembled, will prevent absolutely even the slightest relative displacement of the arms. rllhe construction is such that under the ordinary conditions of use the accuracy of the instrument will remain unimpaired for an indefinite period.

With these and other ends in view, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations ofparts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

1n the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the apex por tion of the square, looking from the front, the locking device being in its operative position; Fig. 2 is a rear view corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the locking device swung out of the plane of the square into its inoperative position; Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but with one of the arms detached and removed; Fig. 4 is a fragmen` tary front view of the detached arm just mentioned; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear view of the arm shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6, 6, Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7, Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a detailed view of the pivot pin for the locking device.

Referring to the drawing, the square is shown as comprising an arm A having at the apex portion of the square a transverse extension 10, to which is secured detachably the arm B. The extension 10 forms in connection with the main portion of the arm- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. "1?, 1913.

Serial Ita-680,151.

A the elbow portion of the square. The extension is provided with an undercut or dovetailed groove or mortise 11 'to receive a tongue or extension 12 on the arm B, as shown in Fig. 7. The groove or mortise 11, which is preferably about half as deep as the thickness of the square, may be conveniently rounded off at the corners, as shown, and the extension 12 on the other arm Vof the square is correspondingly formed in such a manner as to make a close and accurate lit between the arms. r1`h-e .groove 11 preferably terminates short of the outer edge of the main part of the arm A. The extension is beveled along its margin, as shown at 13, in order to conform closely to the undercut margin of the mo-rtise or groove.

T he parts thus far described, if accurately constructed, will form a square -closely resembling the ordinary one piece squares, except -of course, that the joint between the arms is apparent on close observation. This result has been obtained heretofore, but considerable difficulty has been encountered in providing a device for interlocking the arms, which is easily and conveniently 'operable and which, at the same time, also holds the arms in exactly their proper relative posi tions when said arms are assembled and the square is used in actual practice. 1n order to meet this condition, the locking means embodying the present invent-ion comprises a locking member or dog pivoted in one of the arms and mounted to swing in a plane at right angles to the plane of the square. 1n its operative position this locking member or dog lies in the plane of the square and it is so engaged with the other arm of the square as to prevent absolutely any movement of the extension or tongue 12 longitudinally of the groove or mortise 1l. 1n order to release the arms from each other, the locking member or dog is pressed by the thumb or finger out of the plane of the square, being thereby removed from engagement with one arm although still carried by the arm on which it is hinged or pivoted.

In the embodiment illustrated, the locking member or dog is shown at 14, and it comprises a flat panel hinged or pivoted to the arm A by means of a pin 15, inserted transversely of the extension 10 in an opening at one edge of the square as shown in Fig. 3. It is preferred to mount the dog 14 at the apex of the square, as shown in Fig. 1, with the pivot pin 15 located between the inner end of the groove 14 and the outer edge of the arm A, and to have the panel of a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the square, in order that it may accurately fit within an opening 16 extending completely through the square, as shown in Fig. 6. lt will therefore be understood that when the panel or member 14 is swung down into the opening 16, its oppositie faces will be flush with the respective faces of the square.

A`v part of the opening 16 extends through the mortise 11, as shown in Fig. 3 at 16a, and a corresponding portion of said opening extends through the tongue or extension 12, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The opening 16b in the tongue or extension 12 is provided at opposite sides with shoulders 17 which are engaged by shoulders 18 at opposite sides of the panel or member 14, it being understood V that the panel 14 preferably fills t-he opening 16 completely, as shown, conforming closely to the contour of the same. The opening 16b is cut away completely to the end of the tongue 12 to accommodate the shank of the locking panel.

When the member 14 lies in the plane of the square, the engagement of its shoulders 18 with the corresponding shoulders 17 of the extension 12 will obviously prevent the movement of the extension 12 longitudinally in the mortise or groove 11, so that the arms will be held together firmly and accurately positioned with respect to each other. l/Vhen, however, the panel 14 is swung upward rinto the position sho-wn in Figs. 2 and 6, it will be disengaged from the arm B, so that the latter may then be pulled away and separated from the arm A.

rlhe member 14 is accessible at opposite faces of the square in order that it may be easily and conveniently moved into and out of its operative position. 1t will be understood that when the square is assembled, as shown in Fig. 1, the dog 14 may be moved into its inoperative position by pushing on it with the thumb from one face of the square. In order to place it again in operative position, it is pressed down by the thumb from the opposite face of the square. It is not necessary, however, in all aspects of the invention,` to have the dog or locking member accessible from both faces of the square.

ln the embodiment shown, the edges of the opening 16 and dog 14 are beveled at 16X and 14X respectively in order to lock the dog frictionally in operative position and to provide a stop for preventing the swinging of the dog entirely through the opening. The dog can be pushed out only from the front face of the square, and pushed in only from the rear face of the square. However, this arrangement is obviously unessential in most aspects of the invention, and the arrangement could be reversed. or another Y form of stop could be employed'.

ln some cases it is not essential that the locking dog be carried by the arm having the transverse extension, as it might obviously be carried by the other arm. Other modifications of the construction within the lscope of the invention will also suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. ln a separable square, an arm having a transverse extension forming in connection therewith the elbow portion of the square, said extension having a shallow undercut longitudinal groove, a second and separate arm having a tongue litting and slidable lengthwise in said groove, said tongue be ing provided adjacent the extremity thereof with a shoulder, a locking panel, and a transverse pivot for said panel carried by said first arm at apoint outside said groove and mounting said panel so that it swings into and out of engagement with said shoulder in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the square, the bottom of said groove having an opening therethrough affording access to said panel from the oppo site face of the square; substantially as described. d

2. lnV a separable square, an arm having a transverse extension forming in connection therewith the elbow portion of the square, said extension 'having a shallowundercut longitudinal groove terminating short of the outer edge of the main part of said arm,

ioo Y a second arm having a tongue tting and f slidable lengthwise in said groove, said tongue being provided with an opening affording two oppositely located shoulders, and a panel having shoulders at opposite sides for engagement with said rst named shoulders and pivoted on said iirst'arm at a point between the aforesaid outer edge thereof and the termination of saidgroove, said panel being movable in line with said tongue in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the square; substantially as described.

3. In a separable square, an arm having an undercut groove, a second and separate arm having a corresponding beveled tongue slidable lengthwise in saidy groove, said tongue having a shouldered opening extending through the same, and said rst arm having an opening adapted to register with said first named opening when the parts are assembled, a shouldered locking panelV adapted to lie within and conform to the registering openings with its opposite faces tion therewith the elbow portion of the square, said extension having an undercut groove in the face thereof, and said arm being provided with a shouldered opening in the grooved portion thereof, a second and separate arm having a tongue fitting said groove and provided adjacent its free eX- tremity with a shouldered opening adapted to register with the first shouldered opening when the parts are assembled, and a shouldered locking panel pivoted on one of said arms to swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the square and arranged to lie within and conform to the registering openings; substantially as described.

5. In a square, an arm having an undercut groove, a second and separate arin having a correspondingly beveled tongue or extension slidable lengthwise in said groove, said tongue having a shouldered opening extending completely through the same, a shouldered locking panel adapted to lie within and conform to said opening, and a pivot pin on which said locking panel is pivoted, inserted in an opening at one edge of said first arm; substantially as described.

6. In a square, an arm having a transverse extension, with an undercut groove at one face of the same, a second arm having a correspondingly beveled tongue to slide lengthwise into and out of said groove, said tongue having adjacent its free extremity a shouldered opening, a shouldered panel conforming to said opening and adapted to lie in the same and to be swung out of said opening in a plane substantially perpen dicular to the plane of the square, and a pivot pin for said locking panel directed transversely of said extension at the apex portion of the square, and inserted in an opening at one edge of the square; substantially as described.

ln witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 24th day of February, 1912.

ALBERT A. PAGE. Witnesses:

JAMES FITZGERALD, HARRY L. HIGGINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

